“The pain I suffered was unbearable, but I will continue to stay strong for my two-year-old child. I have a last chance to survive. I beg everyone to help me to realise my dream!”

30-year-old mother, Ho Sook Wen, from Ipoh, Perak, is a nurse at Tzu Chi Dialysis Centre. In 2022, the doctor diagnosed her with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). She went through various sessions of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant surgery, yet she developed many complications.

The doctor once declared they could do nothing, and the patient almost gave up. Fortunately, the CAR T-cell therapy and second bone marrow transplant reignited the hope for her to survive. And now, she is pleading for RM400,000 in treatment expenses.

【The patient’s cancer recurred. As the cancer cells reproduce faster than the production of her white blood cells, she had to undergo targeted therapy with different medication, and her condition is unstable】

After Sook Wen gave birth to her only son in 2022, she developed a bone ache that made her unable to walk. She also had a persistent fever. After she went to the hospital for examination, the doctor found her lymphocytes were high and her red blood cells were low. Hence, the doctor referred her to the general hospital for further check. The doctor later diagnosed her with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). After undergoing various treatments, the doctor planned for a bone marrow transplant.

In mid-2023, she found suitable bone marrow from an overseas bone marrow bank. She then started treatment and bone marrow transplantation. Unfortunately, she experienced several rejections, including gastrointestinal, liver, kidney, heart and other organs. She must take anti-rejection medication.

The cancer cells reappeared repeatedly, and the doctor once told her that they could not do anything. However, after her family’s unremitting efforts to seek different medical opinions, a doctor recommended CAR T-cell therapy and a second bone marrow transplant. However, her brother’s and mother’s bone marrow did not match. Her 41-year-old sister’s bone marrow was 50% matched, but she had anaemia. The family did not consider their 70-year-old father as a donor due to his age and ear fluid imbalance. Hence, they seek a matching donor through an overseas bone marrow bank.

Their effort was paid off. Sook Wen has found a suitable bone marrow from China. After completing the cell therapy, she is expected to undergo a second bone marrow transplant within a month. Her family had borrowed money from people around them for her treatment, so they had no choice but to seek help from One Hope Charity for the shortfall of RM400,000 in medical expenses.

Both Sook Wen and her 31-year-old husband, Tan Cyan Yeng, are nurses at the Tzu Chi dialysis centre. They welcomed the arrival of their first child after they got married, but sorrows surrounded the supposed-to-be happy family after she fell ill.

After reviewing the case following a home visit, One Hope Charity agreed to assist her in raising the RM400,000 in medical expenses. Her family agreed to fully authorise One Hope Charity to take charge of the fundraising and collect donations from the well-wishers on their behalf. One Hope Charity will also allocate RM10,000 from the Emergency Medical Reserve Fund for her. Call One Hope Charity’s hotline at 04-539 9212, 016-419 2192, 019-232 2192 or 018-911 4192 if you have questions.